Kyoto Craft Bank unveils SAKE IPA "DOPPEL GANGER" made with sake yeast "Kyo no Haku"
Craft Bank, a brewery in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto, has unveiled a SAKE IPA called "DOPPEL GANGER" brewed with sake yeast. Created in collaboration with KANGIKU BREWERY and Ibrew Akihabara, it is built around a layered design that combines ginjo-like aroma with hop bitterness. It will be available in 350 ml cans and 15.5 L kegs.
Hop BroToday's topic is this! Craft Bank in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto, released a SAKE IPA on February 3, 2026, and it's called "DOPPEL GANGER."
MugiWhoa! What is that? The name sounds intense, but is SAKE IPA like a fusion of sake and beer?!
Hop BroExactly, it's a meeting point between "Japanese" and IPA. It uses Kyoto sake yeast called "Kyo no Haku," and it's a collaboration brew with KANGIKU BREWERY and Ibrew Akihabara.
MugiWhat's the difference between sake yeast and beer yeast? Just yeast is already exam material to me!
Hop BroThe thing is, sake yeast tends to produce elegant aromas like ginjo fragrance. In this case, it's designed so that a gentle ginjo note is layered with pine-like hop aromatics.
MugiHuh, I thought it would be as gentle as wagashi, but pine aroma too? That's way too stylish!
Hop BroThe taste is centered on firm hop bitterness, with a finish that suggests white grape and green apple. The ingredients are malt, koji, and hops, and at 5% ABV it's in the easy-drinking zone.
MugiAn IPA with koji already has my attention, and then white grape and green apple on the finish? That's unfair! What sizes does it come in?
Hop BroIt comes in 350 ml cans and 15.5 L kegs. What's more, Craft Bank is a brewery on the site of a former bank, and it's doing local community building and brewing together, which is pretty exciting too.
MugiNow that I know the background, I want to drink it even more! Hop bro, let's have a "Japanese IPA toast" with "DOPPEL GANGER" tonight!
Craft Bank's new release is a meeting point between "Japanese" and IPA
"DOPPEL GANGER," unveiled by Craft Bank on February 3, 2026, is a collaboration beer positioned in the SAKE IPA style. According to official information, it was developed as a project with KANGIKU BREWERY and Ibrew Akihabara, and uses Kyoto sake yeast "Kyo no Haku."
Its aroma combines a gentle ginjo note with pine-like hop-derived aromatics. The flavor is designed around firm hop bitterness, leaving a finish reminiscent of white grape and green apple. The ingredients are malt (foreign-produced), koji, and hops. ABV is 5%, and it comes in 350 ml cans and 15.5 L kegs. The best-before date printed on the can is listed as April 16, 2026.
One beer to read in the context of Fukuchiyama, Kyoto
Craft Bank is a brewery based on the site of a former bank in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture. After a project that began in 2020, it opened in 2022 and has since worked in parallel on building a local community space and brewing craft beer. This release of "DOPPEL GANGER" also connects to the brewery's ongoing effort to use Kyoto-origin yeast.
Beyond simply being an "IPA brewed with sake yeast," this new release also reflects the current Craft Bank through its background as a collaboration brew with another brewery and a beer bar. More details can be found on the official pages.
Product page / Official brewery site
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday's topic is this! Craft Bank in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto, released a SAKE IPA on February 3, 2026, and it's called "DOPPEL GANGER."
MugiWhoa! What is that? The name sounds intense, but is SAKE IPA like a fusion of sake and beer?!
Hop BroExactly, it's a meeting point between "Japanese" and IPA. It uses Kyoto sake yeast called "Kyo no Haku," and it's a collaboration brew with KANGIKU BREWERY and Ibrew Akihabara.
MugiWhat's the difference between sake yeast and beer yeast? Just yeast is already exam material to me!
Hop BroThe thing is, sake yeast tends to produce elegant aromas like ginjo fragrance. In this case, it's designed so that a gentle ginjo note is layered with pine-like hop aromatics.
MugiHuh, I thought it would be as gentle as wagashi, but pine aroma too? That's way too stylish!
Hop BroThe taste is centered on firm hop bitterness, with a finish that suggests white grape and green apple. The ingredients are malt, koji, and hops, and at 5% ABV it's in the easy-drinking zone.
MugiAn IPA with koji already has my attention, and then white grape and green apple on the finish? That's unfair! What sizes does it come in?
Hop BroIt comes in 350 ml cans and 15.5 L kegs. What's more, Craft Bank is a brewery on the site of a former bank, and it's doing local community building and brewing together, which is pretty exciting too.
MugiNow that I know the background, I want to drink it even more! Hop bro, let's have a "Japanese IPA toast" with "DOPPEL GANGER" tonight!
